'Beyond our means' - Gavin Cowan targets next step for Shrewsbury Town

Gavin Cowan has outlined how he believes Shrewsbury Town can “achieve something beyond our means” as he looks ahead to the next chapter of his tenure.

Salop’s safety, secured with three games to spare, not only brought relief and represented a significant achievement, but also marked a turning point as Cowan shifts his focus to the future.

The Town boss will now begin preparing to build his own squad, while further shaping the environment and culture he wants at the club.

Looking ahead, Cowan said: “I feel like there's been a bit of gluttony around the place.

“We need to start being a little bit grateful - a bit of gratitude for being part of the football club and the resources that we do have here, in terms of our training facilities and the ground.

“We are very fortunate to have what we do. When you've got those resources, that can make up for a little bit of budget.

“Equally, we're working with it where players have got to buy into something.

“Sometimes they want to be part of something and be connected and they want to be part of something that's valuable and they come in and enjoy training every day.

“That's the environment that we want to create. If we can create the right environment, work with what we've got at the moment in terms of budgets, have an aspiration and a bit of gratitude around the place and start understanding who pays the wages.

“Start understanding that there's a hierarchy of respect here, then I really think we can achieve something probably above and beyond our means.”

Having retained their Football League status - the primary objective since Cowan’s arrival - he and his staff can now turn their full attention to what comes next.

But Cowan admits his role is becoming even more demanding, as he balances immediate responsibilities with long-term planning.

“I've been busier than ever because I have to deal with the day-to-day logistics of the team - and that's what they need to focus on,” Cowan said.

“They don't need to worry about planning and preparing for next year, but I do.”

Cowan is approaching the three-month mark at the helm, a period that has yielded 26 points and lifted Town to 19th in League Two, with a chance to climb higher in the final games of the season.

He left Brackley Town - where he had overseen a historic promotion to the National League and was enjoying a strong campaign - to take on his first role in the Football League with a struggling Shrewsbury side.

It was, he admits, a risk, but one that has already been an enjoyable journey for everyone involved, from staff to supporters.

He said: “It was a massive risk for me personally, because I live locally, professionally, absolutely, because I was already in a job that I was really loving and enjoying and succeeding at.

“The first day I came in, I realised how big the job was going to be.

“I reflect back on it, and the immense pride and just being able to see the change on people's faces, people's shoulders - not so tense.

“Even though I felt like I knew before, you realise how much it means to the community, to the fans. The football club is certainly the hub of our community.

“To play a part in keeping us in the league is definitely a moment I'll remember for the rest of my life.”